Summertime
by apigeonandaquill
Summary: Nikola and Nigel, a moment in time. Relationship content, very mild. Just sweetness, really.


_Nikola and Nigel, a moment in time. Written for my friend NikolaGriffin, from whom I borrowed the phrase 'squirmy git'. There's minor relationship content. This is the Five, and this is me. There's nothing graphic. _

_Disclaimer: I don't own Sanctuary. Still pissed about that one._

_Summertime_

* * *

"You know, Nik...we've spent a long time together, now." Nigel mused, one afternoon in May in 1938, while both of them were sat out in the sunshine, laid out on Nikola's lawn as the vampire worked on plans for another experiment. They had, as well; since John lost control in 1888, Nikola had retreated largely from the others to live by himself and Nigel, of course, had followed him. Both of them were still in contact with James and Helen, just Nikola prefered his own (and Nigel's) company rather than to hang around as a Four only to remember the big hole remaining where one of their number was missing. He didn't feel at home with the rest of them, anymore. Nigel could see his point, but that was neither here or there; it was just them two right now and they only had each other.

Nikola, annoyingly, was either so focused on his invention that he didn't hear Nigel speak, or, far more likely, was choosing to ignore him. Nigel poked him lightly, playfully, with a stick, and when that didn't work, actively tackled him onto his back, landing practically on top of him, jokingly pinning him there in the grass. Nikola gazed up at him, silent, looking so deeply upset that Nigel instantly pulled back, worried he'd gone too far. A second later, a small smile formed on the vampire's face, and Nikola sat up so that their legs were touching, practically intertwined. "What do you want? I'm working." The blissful smile turned into a smirk, one corner of Nikola's lips rising higher than the other; the vampire was more than satisfied with himself.

"Squirmy git." Nigel caught a hold of him, ticking delicate ribs until the other man was laughing uncontrollably. "I was bloody worried for you, for a second, I was!"

"S-stop. I submit!" Nikola wriggled desperately, glad that nobody could see them right now and hear his laughter. "I submit, alright?"

Nigel stopped the tickling, happy to see Nikola smile and laugh so much, so rare a sight in these darker times, though once so common in University halls. "Now that I've gotten your attention," he grinned broadly, "I had a thought."

"Dangerous." Nikola retorted, without missing a beat. "Well then, speak it."

Nigel pretended not to hear his snark. "We've been together a long time, ain't we? I just thought of that this morning. How long it's been, with just us two practically."

"I'm not in the mood for a history lesson. I don't need one, I know how long it's been. Hug me, show me love. I need to think." Nikola didn't seem to want to think so deeply into things, so Nigel decided he'd try another tactic. He wrapped the vampire close in his arms, happy to obey his 'demand', holding him warmly and securely, Nikola's chin on his shoulder, their hearts beating together, almost in time with each other. He'd wait, until Nikola had done with his thinking of gears and electric currents, to talk to him more.

It took ten minutes, maybe fifteen, before the vampire pulled back, turning back to his papers. "Thank you. I've got it now, I won't be a moment more." He scribbled down his invention plans, and then closed his notebook, sitting back up, bright-eyed and content, framed by the afternoon sunshine, with grass strands in his dark hair. Nigel thought in that moment that his dearest friend had truly never been more beautiful.

Nigel wondered what they were, really, that was the problem he had to work out, to solve like a puzzle. They'd been like this since Oxford, play-fighting and snarking and hugging and occasionally kissing. Back then, it had just been 'The Five', and there was no need to categorize it further, but now the world was changed and lables sometimes mattered and Nigel kind of wanted to know where they stood at, personal curiosity and all of that jazz. Not that it mattered, really; he knew he wanted to spend his life with Nikola, and gathered that Nikola wanted the same. It was just one of those things, one of those givens. Maybe it didn't need words to try and describe it. Maybe, words couldn't.

"So, what was it you wanted to talk about?" Nikola's soft voice brought him out of his reverie, happy now to listen to whatever his companion had in mind, now that his inventions were all planned out to the best of his ability. He was watching Nigel with wide-eyed interest, his head tilted slightly to the side. Adorable.

"I don't think it's important, really. Just know I love you. Always." Now decided, he gathered Nikola close again, and tenderly kissed his forehead, and then his lips. Not really more than a peck, a touch, but Nikola returned it twicefold. He rested there for a few blissful moments, their lips inches apart, foreheads touching. Birds tweeted in the treetops, the wind rustled the leaves. Silence reigned, for a little while, and the sun shined gently down upon them as they lay in the backyard of their little London home. It was peaceful, and they were free, and together, and that was all that mattered.

Then Nikola brought his lips right close to Nigel's ear, and whispered an 'I love you, too' that he'd thought he'd never hear.

He didn't think he'd ever been happier.


End file.
